


The Strains of Time

by Llama1412



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-29
Updated: 2010-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:54:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23484889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llama1412/pseuds/Llama1412
Summary: Merlin learns to rewind time.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), implied
Kudos: 3





	The Strains of Time

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on livejournal in 2010. Posted unedited.
> 
> References to episode 2.13

It started with a careless remark from Gaius, a simple comment of "if you were ever to speak to your past self, I hope you'd have the sense to tell him to gain a blasted sense of balance!" Merlin had already repaired the priceless beakers he'd broken after tripping down the stairs from his room and nosediving into the table, but Gaius was determined to beat some sense into him through a long lecture that Merlin had tuned out ages ago.

But for some reason, that remark got through to him and it had him wondering - could he go back in time? Would it be possible? His magic had slowed time more than once, even come close to stopping it, but rewinding it? Well, that'd be an amazing magical discovery, wouldn't it? So it was only responsibility that had Merlin researching the idea. He was just following that scientific method thing Gaius was always going on about.

He wasn't sure when it had become more than that. Maybe it was when he'd made one too many careless moves and the king sentenced him to death. maybe it was the next time when he coached Morgana in sorcery and got caught or the time after that when he freed the dragon - before it became determined to level Camelot - and conquered the world for Arthur.

Or maybe it was right from the start when he wondered if he could ever reveal his secret without it seeming as if he'd been lying to Arthur for all this time.

He couldn't admit to himself how it had become more. All he knew was that now he couldn't stop. Every time something went wrong, he was sending the world back on its axis and restarting time.

It was no surprise, really, that the world couldn't take it anymore. It was the only fitting punishment, he supposed, for daring to manipulate time.

This one time, after all those failures, that he was able to stand by Arthur's side as an equal, no lies between them, and the world was falling apart. Merlin had broken the world and Arthur would die because of it.

It was all Merlin's fault and there was nothing he could do to fix it.


End file.
